The Isley Brothers - Hitsville years

[timthemod]

There doesn't seem to be any or very little information relating to the short period they recorded at Motown. They were given some very high quality tracks to record, and where given the top producers and writers. Many of the album and un-issued tracks could have been released as singles. Did they spend much time at Hitsville recording their vocals? They seem to use the Andantes on many tracks, probably the lack of overall control was why they left.

Interested to hear if Russ or anyone else has any recollections on their sessions.

[Motown Eddie]

Don't have any info about the recording sessions for The Isley Bros. at Motown. However, The Isleys did want creative control and was a factor in their decision to leave Motown along with fact that they only had one major hit during their stay there.

[mysterysinger]

I think they bemoaned the type of material they were given to record. However, the longer time goes on, the more I appreciate how good their Motown recordings were. #

I've always thought that the "This Old Heart of Mine / There's No Love Left" pairing was a double A sider.

One or two of their CDs......
Attachment 11325

[woodward]

I don't think that there are any unreleased songs that they recorded. My all time favorite Isley Brothers songs are [[1) Behind a Painted Smile: absolutely great could have been #1; and [[2) Got to Have You Back. I think the Isley Brothers followed the same path as the Spinners much to our detriment.

[soulwally]

There doesn't seem to be any or very little information relating to the short period they recorded at Motown. They were given some very high quality tracks to record, and where given the top producers and writers. Many of the album and un-issued tracks could have been released as singles. Did they spend much time at Hitsville recording their vocals? They seem to use the Andantes on many tracks, probably the lack of overall control was why they left.

Interested to hear if Russ or anyone else has any recollections on their sessions.

Amazingly coincidentally, I've dug out the Isley twofer CD This old heart of mine/Soul on the rocks to play after quite some time away. I always had a soft spot for SOTR, as I once had it on vinyl, and played it to death.
The strength of the material across the two albums is undeniable. I couldn't agree more about This old heart... and There's no love left, the last tune I heard on my walkman [[!) before getting off the train to work today.
Lots of favourites, but special mentions for Take me in your arms, Got to have you back and One too many heartaches.

[marv2]

I wondered about that. Did something go wrong? The Isleys are hardly ever mentioned in connection to Motown memoirs or anniversaries.

[woodward]

An interesting analysis of the IBs 45 rpm output on VIP/Tamla. Their first 45 was released on the VIP label #25020. There was only one VIP 45 and 8 Tamla 45s. I Hear a Symphony was on both 25020 and Tamla 54135. Who Could Ever Doubt My Love was also on both 25020 and Tamla 54133. Take Some Time Out for Love was on Tamla 54133 and Tamla 54182. Just Ain't Enough Love was on Tamla 54146 and Tamla 54182. Very unusual for the same song to be released on two different 45s during their career. It seems like they were trying to make a comeback from their 1965/1966 era to the 1969 era. They left Motown in 1969 to start T-Neck so it seems like a last effort was made to resurrect their career before leaving Motown.

[theboyfromxtown]

The Isleys have not toured the UK often, possibly because of their refusal to perform their Motown songs. That hasn't helped their case for beign included in Motown memories or anniversaries

At one venue, Ronald Isley concessionally sung one verse of This Old Heart Of Mine with no music but that wasn't enough for the audience, they made their displeasure known by walking out of the venue. Shame.

[theboyfromxtown]

An interesting analysis of the IBs 45 rpm output on VIP/Tamla. Their first 45 was released on the VIP label #25020. There was only one VIP 45 and 8 Tamla 45s. I Hear a Symphony was on both 25020 and Tamla 54135. Who Could Ever Doubt My Love was also on both 25020 and Tamla 54133. Take Some Time Out for Love was on Tamla 54133 and Tamla 54182. Just Ain't Enough Love was on Tamla 54146 and Tamla 54182. Very unusual for the same song to be released on two different 45s during their career. It seems like they were trying to make a comeback from their 1965/1966 era to the 1969 era. They left Motown in 1969 to start T-Neck so it seems like a last effort was made to resurrect their career before leaving Motown.

The Isley's on VIP? Do you have a copy....does anyone have a copy?

[Motown Eddie]

The Isley's on VIP? Do you have a copy....does anyone have a copy?

According to the notes for "TCMS-1965", the single VIP 25020 was scheduled for Dorsey Burnette's "Why Break My Heart"/"They're Only Words" [[and then cancelled). And going by the notes for "TCMS-1966", The Isley Bros. first single release was "This Old Heart Of Mine" [[Tamla 54128) and they had no single releases on the VIP imprint.

[woodward]

I stand corrected. My source of this being released on VIP 25020 was David Bianco's HEAT WAVE. I do not know whether David had a copy or not. His source of information was largely from Reginald Bartlette. I did go into Keith Hughe's DFTMC and checked his listing for Who Could Ever Doubt My Love and there is no confirmation there that VIP 25020 was ever released as reported by David Bianco. Sorry.

[roger]

The Isleys have not toured the UK often, possibly because of their refusal to perform their Motown songs. That hasn't helped their case for beign included in Motown memories or anniversaries

At one venue, Ronald Isley concessionally sung one verse of This Old Heart Of Mine with no music but that wasn't enough for the audience, they made their displeasure known by walking out of the venue. Shame.

Urrggghhhh .. In 1990 said Ronald Isley re-recorded "This Old Heart Of Mine" with old gravel voice [[a.k.a. Rod Stewart) and it went Top 10 in The U.S, so he couldn't have disliked the song that much!!!!!!

Roger

[roger]

I stand corrected. My source of this being released on VIP 25020 was David Bianco's HEAT WAVE. I do not know whether David had a copy or not. His source of information was largely from Reginald Bartlette. I did go into Keith Hughe's DFTMC and checked his listing for Who Could Ever Doubt My Love and there is no confirmation there that VIP 25020 was ever released as reported by David Bianco. Sorry.

The discography in Sharon Davis's book "Motown The History" has VIP 25020 as being The Isley Brothers "I Hear A Symphony"/"Who Could Ever Doubt My Love" but there is no clear evidence for this and that catalogue number seems to point to August 1965 which is before they recorded those tracks.

Roger

[marv2]

The Isleys have not toured the UK often, possibly because of their refusal to perform their Motown songs. That hasn't helped their case for beign included in Motown memories or anniversaries

At one venue, Ronald Isley concessionally sung one verse of This Old Heart Of Mine with no music but that wasn't enough for the audience, they made their displeasure known by walking out of the venue. Shame.

He probably felt he had to because it became a huge hit again with Rod Stewart and himself in the 80s.

[theboyfromxtown]

Urrggghhhh .. In 1990 said Ronald Isley re-recorded "This Old Heart Of Mine" with old gravel voice [[a.k.a. Rod Stewart) and it went Top 10 in The U.S, so he couldn't have disliked the song that much!!!!!!

Roger

Roger

Rod was always a Motown fan especially in those early days but also a HUGE recording artist. I doubt anyone would have turned down the offer to record with Rod especially one that was not as current as he once was.

Even Miss Ross didn't turn down Rod Stewart despite being made somewhat at the negative end sometime earlier with a send up on the video of Rod's "The Motown Song".

BTW, that venue was in Kent.

[Motown Eddie]

I wondered about that. Did something go wrong? The Isleys are hardly ever mentioned in connection to Motown memoirs or anniversaries.

Perhaps it's because when The Isleys left Motown to set up their own label and had a huge hit with 'It's Your Thing', they were sued by B.G. [[the allegation was that they were still under contract to Motown when they recorded the track). Also, consider that while The Isley Bros. made some fantasic recordings while they at Hitsville, they only had one major hit in the US during their time at Motown [[and another in the UK with 'Behind A Painted Smile').

[robb_k]

VIP 25920 was NEVER released. No pressings [[even test pressings or mock-ups were ever made. The record was never even scheduled for pressing. The VIP number MAY have been officially assigned. But even IF it was, it was removed very quickly. It really made no sense to include that and the other never pressed 45s in the Motown Singles CD Series.